Plume Response Decision Criteria and Schedule

Fact Sheet 97-1
February 1997

What is the Plume Response Decision Criteria and Schedule?

The draft Decision Criteria document outlines the factors by which potential cleanup alternatives for each plume will be evaluated. The Decision Criteria provides a tool to all participants for showing at a glance how individual alternatives compare to each other. The goal of using this tool is to select a remedial alternative that achieves final cleanup solutions for each plume.

The proposed schedule includes activities to select and implement four plume responses and provides projected system start-up dates for the selected remedies. The Air Force has agreed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) that some of these activities are enforceable milestones under the Federal Facility Agreement (FFA). A listing of the FFA milestones for all plumes is also provided in the schedule.

These documents were developed cooperatively by the USEPA, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MADEP), and the Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence (AFCEE). The draft Decision Criteria and schedule include requirements of federal and state environmental regulations. They are tailored to meet the specific needs of the projects and concerns of the community around Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR).

You Are Invited to Comment...

The draft document describing the Decision Criteria and schedule for plume response alternatives was released on February 10, 1997. The Air Force is inviting public comments on the document during a public comment period February 10 through March 10, 1997. Public input on the Decision Criteria and schedule is vital, and the Air Force looks forward to receiving and incorporating comments into the Plume Response Decision Criteria. An assessment of public concerns will bring a more complete perspective to the evaluation, selection, and implementation process for plume response.

You Are Invited to Attend...

A posterboard session will be held from 4 to 10 p.m., and a public meeting will begin at 7 p.m. on February 25, 1997. AFCEE/MMR staff will be available to provide information and answer questions at the poster session and will make a brief presentation about the Decision Criteria and schedule at the information meeting. Representatives of the USEPA and MADEP will also be available to answer questions during the meeting. All comments and questions will be recorded. All comments will be carefully considered, and a written response will be provided in the final Decision Criteria document.

How Will the Decision Criteria Be Used?

The Air Force believes that enhanced community involvement, as well as a greater public understanding of the cleanup process, will result in a better solution to the environmental problems at MMR. By involving the public in the very beginning and throughout the decision making process, a plume response alternative that is acceptable to both the Air Force and the public can be chosen. A critical stage in the cleanup phase for MMR plumes is the decision point where the cleanup technology is selected. Because the Air Force is under a tight schedule to respond to the plumes, a process using the Plume Response Alternative Evaluation Matrix has been developed to more efficiently choose the plume response alternative. The alternatives are compared to each other in a table so that the advantages and disadvantages of each can be assessed. An informed choice on which alternative is the most acceptable can then be made.

What is the Matrix?

The matrix contains the threshold, primary balancing, and acceptance criteria against which Plume Response Alternatives are measured. Basically, the criteria answer the following questions about each alternative:

• Does it meet basic requirements?
• How will each alternative work?
• Is it acceptable?

Sample Section of Matrix

Threshold Criteria

There are two basic requirements that an alternative must meet in order to be considered further. The two threshold criteria are: 1) overall protection of human health and the environment; and 2) compliance with Applicable or Relevant and Appropriate Requirements (ARARs), which are the federal and state requirements that apply to MMR. Threshold criteria provide a "pass or fail" indication for further detailed evaluation. If an alternative fails to pass these criteria, it will be abandoned.

Primary Balancing Criteria

Next, the primary balancing criteria are used to evaluate alternatives that have passed the basic requirements. The alternatives are evaluated using both qualitative and quantitative information. The primary balancing criteria present the strengths and weaknesses of each alternative for comparison against each other. After reviewing each alternative, the Remedial Project Managers (RPMs) present the findings and make preliminary recommendations to acceptance groups for review and concurrence. The acceptance groups include the public at large, neighborhoods, citizen teams, town selectmen, USEPA, MADEP, Department of Defense, Department of Public Health, and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

Acceptance Criteria

The respective organizations, agencies, and community groups are continually involved in the assessment of each alternative. After the threshold and primary balancing criteria have been assessed, each of the acceptance groups will review and discuss the results. The AFCEE/MMR staff will work very closely with all acceptance groups to provide information and receive public input in building consensus for the selected alternatives. Each of the acceptance groups reviews the information and indicates a preferred choice, acceptable second and third choices, as well as any unacceptable alternatives.

Selection of Plume Response Alternative

Once the matrix is complete, the RPMs will recommend a course of action. Ideally, an alternative that is protective of human health and the environment and has widespread acceptance will be identified. In the event that consensus is not reached, the RPMs will further investigate stakeholders' preferences and make every attempt to understand the nature of objections and preferences. They will ensure that all the acceptance criteria group's concerns and comments are heard and understood. The RPMs will determine if an alternative can be modified to meet the needs of the acceptance groups or if compromises can be incorporated to make an alternative more attractive to the majority of the groups. After this process, the RPMs make the final decision, documenting selection rationale, and bring the recommended decision to the Management Review Group for review and concurrence. The decision will then be announced to the public.

How Can You Provide Comments?

The draft Decision Criteria and schedule are available for review on the MMR Internet Homepage (http://www.mmr.org) or in the following locations (during normal business hours):

Information Repository Locations

U.S. Coast Guard Library
Building 5205, Ent Street
Otis ANG Base, MA 02542
(508) 968-6456

To obtain a copy of the Decision Criteria and schedule or to ask questions about the public meeting contact Vanessa Musgrave. All written comments should be postmarked by March 10 and addressed to Vanessa Musgrave. Comments can be submitted during the posterboard session, public meeting, or through a comment form on the MMR Homepage.